BBC host Andrew Marr shut down First Minister Nicola Sturgeon after she suggested the Scottish Parliament could stop the Brexit Bill coming into effect.

The Brexit bill – officially the EU (Withdrawal) Bill – is a key part of the British Government's strategy to leave the European Union smoothly.

Mr Marr shut down the First Minister after she suggested the Scottish Parliament would be able to stop the bill.

He said: "When the Withdrawal bill goes to Parliament there then has to be a process of legislative approval by the Scottish Parliament, the Welsh Assembly and so forth. What happens if you refuse legislative approval?

"Nothing, really. You can say ‘we don’t approve’ and it still goes through."

BBC

Brexit news – Andrew Marr said Scotland cannot stop the Brexit Bill

Ms Sturgeon said the Scottish Parliament would not vote in favour of the bill because it is allegedly a "power grab" on Scotland's powers.

She said: "The legislative consent process is a convention but I think it’s unthinkable that the House of Commons, the UK Government would ignore not just the views of the Scottish Parliament but the Welsh Assembly as well.

"We are trying to plan for our part of what would happen: we have announced this week that we have a continuity bill of our own that we will introduce to the Scottish Parliament.

"But let me be clear that right now I cannot and will not recommend to the Scottish parliament approval of the Withdrawal Bill because is a power grab on the powers of the Scottish Parliament."

It comes as the Scottish Government prepares to publish its own Brexit impact analysis reporting on the effects leaving the EU would have on Scotland.

Ms Sturgeon remained adamant Scotland remains in the single market and the customs union to preserve the "economic benefits" of EU membership.

She said: "More than 18 months on from the Brexit vote, it beggars belief that the UK Government is not only still unable to say what kind of relationship it wants with the EU, but has also failed to produce any meaningful economic assessment of the different possibilities. Bluntly, the hard Brexiteers have had their chance and failed.

"There is zero credible evidence to suggest leaving the single market will bring any benefit to our economy. Indeed, as our analysis shows, the harder the Brexit the worse will be the outcome."